Rotational device for earth boring tools

ABSTRACT

A spinner element and swivel component is attached just behind the first rod carrying the pilot hole forming head so that a rotation is provided to the head as it is thrust through relatively deep and long earth formations in order to keep the head in alignment and prevent or reduce deviation due to the variations in soil density, or rocks or stones, or slack or play in the rod and head assembly.

United States Patent [191 Atkins et a1.

[ ROTATIONAL DEVICE FOR EARTH BORING, TOOLS [75] Inventors: Stanley G. Atkins; Stanley B. Baillie,

both of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada [73] Assignee: Armadillo Holdings Ltd., Winnipeg,

Manitoba, Canada; by said Baillie [22] Filed: Dee. 3, 1971 [21] Appl. No; 204,415

[52] U.S. Cl 175/323, 175/62, 175/305 [51] Int. Cl E2111 17/05 [58] Field of Search 175/320, 321, 322,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,647,240 11/1927 McDonald ..175/305 3,318,398 5/1967 Owen 175/323 July 24, 1973 1,785,086 12/1930 Hauk 175/322 X 1,821,212 9/1931 Granger.... 175/322 2,589,534 3/1952 Buttolph 175/325 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 26,523 11/1906 Austria 175/305 65,857 2/1914 Austria Primary Examiner-David H. Brown Attorney-Kent & Ade

[57] ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures WZMKVAVAVAWAVAVAV AWA A PAIENTED JUL24l973 747. 7 O1 sum 1 or 2 Y A AV AV A AV m my AM A A); 32 27 I6 22 2 I2 31 5 29 5 20 u 5 l5 l4 l0 g,

FIG. I

1 ROTATIONAL DEVICE FOR EARTH BORING TOOLS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the process of forming relatively long drillings or bores in earth formations, as described and claimed in our US. Pat. Nos: 3,482,641, 3,443,649 and 3,469,638, we have found that relatively good accuracy is obtained providing the earth being bored is not too compacted and the length being bored is not too great. As a practical matter we have found that in depth under 12 ft. and in length less than 50 ft., not too many problems are found.

Under these circumstances, the rod can be rotated from the driven end as it is being thrust through the earth formation and this rotation (in the neighborhood of approximately 1 revolution per ft. of penetration) will cancel out any deviations which might be caused to different densities of soil, rocks or stones, or deviations due to slack or play in the rod or head connections.

However, when this depth and/or length is exceeded, it becomes practically impossible to rotate the rods from the drivenend due to the frictional adhesion of the soil with the head and rods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by the provision of a spinner component along the length of the rods which, as they are being thrust through the earth formation, initiates a rotation to the pilot hole forming head without the necessity of turning the rods at the driven end thereof.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore to provide a device of the character herewithin described which initiates a rotational movement to the pilot hole forming head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which incorporates a swivel device situated immediately behind the spinner device so that only the spinner device, and the rod and head in front thereof, will be rotated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is easily fitted in series to existing rods at any particular time and under any drilling conditions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other or further purposes, advantages or novel features as may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists of the inventive concept which is comprised, embodied, embraced, or included in the means, method, process, product, construction, composition, arrangement of parts, or new use of any of the foregoing, herein exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation showing an earth boring assembly with our device situated thereon.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the spinner component per se.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the swivel component per se.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the spinner component shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end view of FIG. 2 as viewed from the left hand side thereof.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference should first be made to FIG. 1 in which 10 illustrates a pilot hole forming head secured to a first rod 11 and having further rods 12 normally extending to the driving end of the assembly (not illustrated) but clearly shown and described in the above mentioned patents.

The device collectively designated 13 consists of a spinner component collectively designated 14 secured to the rear end of the first rod 1 l, and a swivel assembly collectively designated 15 situated between the spinner component 14 and the further rod 12.

In detail, reference to FIGS. 2 and 5 will show details of the spinner component which consists of a cylindrical barrel or rod portion .16 having a male thread 17 formed on one end thereof in a reduced diameter and having a female thread 18 formed within the opposite end 19 thereof.

The end 17 is adapted to screw threadably engage within the end 20 of the first rod 11 remote from head 10.

A plurality of vanes 21 are provided on the surface of the barrel l6 and in this embodiment, two such vanes are provided.

However, it is to be understood that one or more vanes will operate but that two are preferred.

Each vane consists of an elongated substantially rectangular strip 22 which is arcuately curved along the length thereof and secured by one longitudinal edge 23, to the outer surface of the barrel 1.6 by welding (not illustrated) or the like.

The leading and trailing ends 24 are chamfered oppositely as clearly illustrated to facilitate the engagement of the vanes with the soil mass being bored.

The arcuate or helical curving of the vanes initiates rotation of the barrel 16 in the direction of arrow 25, when the device is moved in the direction of arrow 26 and as the first rod 11 and head 10 are secured to the barrel 16, this first rod and head 10 also rotates. The amount of rotation is, of course, governed by the pitch of the vanes and it is desirable that this pitch be sufficient to provide approximately I revolution of the barrel in 5 ft. of longitudinalmovement but this, of course, is an approximation and should not be construed as limiting.

In order to prevent or eliminate rotation of the further rods 12 which is unnecessary, a swivel assembly 15 is provided immediately behind the component 14. This swivel assembly consists of a cylindrical portion 27 constituting a female portion having a blind cylindrical A cylindrical male portion 32 having an enlarged cylindrical head 33 engages within the blind socket 28 and the head is in bearing relationship with the wall of the blind socket as clearly shown.

A cylindrical collar 34 engages within the end 29 of the blind socket and is welded thereto as indicated by reference character 35 and this cylindrical collar surrounds the cylindrical portion 32 in bearing relationship so that the portions 32 can rotate within the blind socket and can move endwise within limits but cannot move angularly with respect to the female cylindrical portion 27.

An internally screw threaded socket 36 is formed in the other end 37 of the cylindrical male portion 32 and this is engaged by the screw threaded end (not illustrated) of the further rod 12.

A lubricating drilling 38 extends through the enlarged head 33 and communicates between the portion of the blind socket 28A in front of the enlarged head,

and the portion the 28B of the blind socket behind the enlarged head. During assembly, and prior to the welding of collar 34, the blind socket is filled with lubricating grease or the like thus ensuring lubrication for the head and the male portion 32.

This swivel assembly enables the spinner component and pilot hole forming head to be rotated during the thrusting action whereas the remainder of the drive rods 12 do not rotate thus reducing considerably the frictional resistance to the rotational action.

Various modifications may be constructed or performed within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed. Therefore what has been set forth is intended to' illustrate such concept and is not for the purpose of limiting protection to any herein particularly described embodiment thereof.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A rotational device for use with earth boring tools which include a first rod, a pilot hole forming head on one end of said rod and at least one further rod sequentially secured behind said first rod, said device being placed in series rearwardly of said first rod; said device comprising in combination a longitudinally extending spinner component and a swivel assembly connected to said component on the end thereof remote from the associated pilot hole head, said swivel assembly including a female portion having a blind cylindrical socket formed in one end thereof, means on the other end of said portion for detachably securing same to said second mentioned rod, a cylindrical male portion engaging within said socket in swivelling relationship, an enlarged end on said male portion, and means on the other end of said cylindrical portion restricting removal of said male portion from said cylindrical socket, and at least one lubrication drilling through said enlarged portion communicating between the end of said cylindrical socket on one side of said enlarged portion and the portion of said crylindrical socket on the other side of said enlarged portion, said means on said other end of said cylindrical socket consisting of a cylindrical collar secured within said other end and surrounding said male portion in bearing relationship.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which said spinner component includes a barrel, means on one end of said barrel for detachably securing said barrel to the other end of said first rod, and at least one longitudinally extending vane on the surface of said barrel for initiating rotation of said barrel and hence said pilot hole head as said barrel and head are moved through the earth formation being bored.

3. The device according to claim 2 in which said vane consists of a flat elongated strip arcuately curved from one end to the other, and secured by one longitudinal edge to the surface of said barrel, the ends of said strip being oppositely chamfered. 

1. A rotational device for use with earth boring tools which include a first rod, a pilot hole forming head on one end of said rod and at least one further rod sequentially secured behind said first rod, said device being placed in series rearwardly of said first rod; said device comprising in combination a longitudinally extending spinner component and a swivel assembly connected to said component on the end thereof remote from the associated pilot hole head, said swivel assembly including a female portion having a blind cylindrical socket formed in one end thereof, means on the other end of said portion for detachably securing same to said second mentioned rod, a cylindrical male portion engaging within said socket in swivelling relationship, an enlarged end on said male portion, and means on the other end of said cylindrical portion restricting removal of said male portion from said cylindrical socket, and at least one lubrication drilling through said enlarged portion communicating between the end of said cylindrical socket on one side of said enlarged portion and the portion of said crylindrical socket on the other side of said enlarged portion, said means on said other end of said cylindrical socket consisting of a cylindrical collar secured within said other end and surrounding said male portion in bearing relationship.
 2. The device according to claim 1 in which said spinner component includes a barrel, means on one end of said barrel for detachably securing said barrel to the other end of said first rod, and at least one longitudinally extending vane on the surface of said barrel for initiating rotation of said barrel and hence said pilot hole head as said barrel and head are moved through the earth formation being bored.
 3. The device according to claim 2 in which said vane consists of a flat elongated strip arcuately curved from one end to the other, and secured by one longitudinal edge to the surface of said barrel, the ends of said strip being oppositely chamfered. 